The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #49704   Message #4160294
Posted By: Tattie Bogle
26-Dec-22 - 07:06 AM
Thread Name: What's a Mummers Play?
Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
For a few years, I was in the (only one in Scotland?) all - female group performing as “The Meadows Mummers”, and doing our own version of the ancient Galoshins play. As with other Mummers plays, the story is based around death and resurrection, with the “stage” (often bare pavement) littered with dead bodies who all eventually get restored to life. We had no St George, Turkish Knight, etc, but we did have a very quacky Doctor (who was also our excellent script-writer.)
My role was as presenter/narrator, but I also played short snatches of music to represent characters or events during the play, anything from the Imperial March from Star Wars (the big fight involved toy light sabres!) to the Dead March every time another character died, the Trumpet Hornpipe (Capn Pugwash theme) for our bold sea captain, or imitation sirens for the Dr’s entrance.
It was full of ham/over-acting and great fun to do, though sadly various ailments and other misfortunes have made it difficult to keep the group going.